Your questions, asked and answered

Impryl is a patented, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan-friendly dietary supplement that delivers eight essential micronutrients when you are trying to have a baby. These micronutrients support a biochemical process called one-carbon (1C) metabolism that is important for the reproductive health and fertility of both women and men.

Impryl contains riboflavin (Vitamin B2), niacin (Vitamin B3), pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (activated Vitamin B9), methylcobalamin (activated Vitamin B12), zinc, betaine and L-cystine. In addition, Impryl contains the inactive ingredients microcrystaline cellulose, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (capsule).

These ingredients are either essential (must be consumed in the diet) or semi-essential (can be made in the body, but typically not in sufficient quantities) and several are in their activated forms (don’t require processing by the body).

Each bottle of Impryl contains 30 vegetable capsules.

Impryl is formulated for adults (age 18 years and older); it should not be consumed by children.

Impryl is intended for preconception supplementation of the diet in both women and men desiring to conceive naturally or through an assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycle, including ovulation induction, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Although Impryl was not developed as a prenatal vitamin, we do have customers taking Impryl and a traditional prenatal vitamin on alternating days during pregnancy. We recommend all of our customers consult with their healthcare provider to ensure they are receiving the proper nutritional support.

If you are interested in a prental version of Impryl, let us know.

Most people, for various reasons, experience a shortage of micronutrients that are critical for reproductive health and fertility. This shortage can lead to poor sperm and egg health, infertility and birth defects. Impryl is formulated to account for this shortage by delivering these essential micronutrients – in their most bioavailable and bioactive forms – in a once-a-day vegetarian capsule. Learn more about why you should take Impryl.

It is important to note that Impryl is neither a substitute for a healthy diet, nor intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.

One capsule of Impryl should be taken each day with a full glass of water between meals. Ideally, Impryl should be taken at approximately the same time each day.

If possible, both women and men should take Impryl for at least 90 days prior to natural conception or an ART procedure, and then until a pregnancy is achieved. This duration is based on the > 65 days required for folliculogenesis/ovulation (egg production) and spermatogenesis (sperm production). For some people it may not be possible to take Impryl for 90 days. In such a scenario, take Impryl for as long as your personal situation allows.

Once pregnant, women can transition to a traditional prenatal vitamin, or alternatively, some of our customers are taking Impryl and a traditional prenatal vitamin on alternating days during pregnancy. If you are interested in a prenatal version of Impryl, please let us know.

We recommend all of our customers consult with their healthcare provider to ensure they are receiving the proper nutritional support.

Impryl should be stored in its original packaging at 68-77°F out of the reach of children. It should be protected from direct sunlight, as well as extreme oscillations in temperature and/or humidity.

Impryl ingredients were carefully selected because each plays an important role in a process in your body called one carbon (1C) metabolism. 1C metabolism uses the micronutrients provided by Impryl to power five biological processes  – homocysteine recycling, DNA/RNA synthesis, cellular energy production, natural antioxidant activity and gene expression – each important for sperm health and egg quality, fertilization, and the growth and development of the baby. Learn more about how Impryl works.

1C metabolism is a network of biochemical cycles (folate and methionine) and biochemical pathways (betaine and transsulfuration) that involve the transfer of a single carbon molecule in the form of a methyl, methylene or formyl group from one molecule to another. 1C metabolism has been shown to be critical for the reproductive health of women and men.

1C metabolism is important because it functionally connects the dietary intake of micronutrients with critical biological processes, including homocysteine recycling, DNA/RNA synthesis, cellular energy production, natural antioxidant activity and gene expression. Learn about how Impryl works.

Disruption of 1C by diet, environmental exposure or genetic variations is associated with multiple human reproductive health problems, including reduced sperm health and egg quality, infertility, preeclampsia and miscarriage, as well as birth defects, including spina bifida. Learn about reproductive health.

A methyl group is a single carbon atom bonded with three hydrogen atoms. The methionine pathway of 1C metabolism produces S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), one of the most important activated methyl donor in the human body. Methyl groups can be dynamically transferred to and from biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins in a process called methylation to influence their functional output.

Homocysteine is a naturally occurring, non-proteinogenic amino acid that accumulates when 1C metabolism is suboptimal. Elevated levels of homocysteine are a risk factor for multiple human reproductive health issues, including both male and female infertility, preeclampsia, miscarriage, and birth defects like spina bifida. Homocysteine is recycled to methionine through methylation by the methionine and betaine pathway of 1C metabolism, or converted to cystathione by the transsulfuration pathway of 1C metabolism.

Glutathione is the most important naturally occurring antioxidant in the human body. It can block oxidative damage to important biological macromolecules caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), including free radicals, peroxides, lipid peroxides and heavy metals. Glutathione is synthesized by the transsulfuration pathway of 1C metabolism. Glutathione, and the natural antioxidant activity it provides, is important for your fertility.

Gene expression is the process by which a sequence of DNA becomes a “gene product”, more commonly known as a protein. The ability to make proteins at specific times and places in the body is essential for normal development, and leads to individualized traits like hair color. Expression of genes can be regulated in several ways, including epigenetics, a process by which environmental factors, age and lifestyle choices can alter which genes are made into proteins without actually altering the DNA sequence. One well-known example of this phenomenon is a process called methylation, which is the transfer of methyl groups to DNA or histone proteins to alter gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in virtually all cell types, including male sperm and female eggs.

5-MTHF and methylcobalamin assure that the re-methylation of homocysteine to methionine can still occur (and prevent homocysteine accumulation) in the presence of genetic variants of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), respectively. In the presence of normal MTHFR and MTRR genes, the activated vitamins represent additional donor molecules for 1C metabolism.

L-cystine is a precursor of cysteine, one of the three components of glutathione, and a determinant of the rate of synthesis of this critical antioxidant in the transsulfuration pathway of 1C metabolism. L-cystine can therefore serve as a precursor of cysteine to facilitate glutathione synthesis in the presence of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) genetic variants.

Betaine (also called trimethyl-glycine) is produced in the body from choline. While choline does play other roles in the body, the production of betaine is essential because it serves as a methyl donor in the methionine pathway of 1C metabolism to promote re-methylation of homocysteine to methionine.

Vitamin B2, B3, B6 and zinc are all necessary cofactors for the critical enzymes in 1C metabolism.

Mutations in MTHFR and MTRR may lead to elevated levels of homocysteine, which is a risk factor for myriad human health issues, including both male and female infertility, preeclampsia, miscarriage, cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric illness, and fracture. Mutations in CBS may lead to reduced levels of the vital antioxidant glutathione; this can alter the intracellular redox balance and contribute to the oxidation of important biological macromolecules.

Impryl is manufactured in the United States of America (USA) using domestic and imported ingredients in a facility that is certified to current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) standards by NSF International and has been successfully inspected by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Following manufacturing, each lot of Impryl is laboratory tested and released for sale only after demonstrating compliance with product-specific acceptance criteria.

Following manufacturing, each lot of Impryl is tested in a third-party laboratory and released for sale only after demonstrating compliance with 23 product-specific acceptance criteria.

Yes, Impryl is gluten-free. This statement is based upon compliance with the current thinking of the United States FDA on Gluten and Food Labeling, which requires every lot of Impryl to: 1) contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten; and 2) not contain an ingredient that is any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains, an ingredient derived from these grains that has not been processed to remove gluten, or an ingredient derived from these grains that has been processed to remove gluten, but results in the food containing more than 20 ppm of gluten.

No, Impryl does not contain any artificial colors or flavors.

Impryl is not manufactured using any ingredients made from soy, lactose, fish, egg or peanuts. However, Impryl is also not tested for these allergens due to the absence of FDA guidance on the limit requried to make a “free of” claim. Individuals with known sensitivity to any of these allergens should consult with their physician before taking Impryl.

Impryl contains ingredients that are both present in the food supply and naturally occur in the body, at concentrations that approximate the recommended daily allowances, where applicable, set forth by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in the USA. These facts, along with strict manufacturing standards reduce the likelihood of side effects following consumption. Nevertheless, adults consuming Impryl should consult a physician if pregnant or nursing, taking prescription medication, or have a medical condition, and Impryl should never be consumed by individuals with known allergies to any ingredients in the product.

Yes, Impryl can be used by individuals who consciously choose to avoid products of animal origin. In addition, none of the ingredients in Impryl are produced using genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Impryl bottles and lids are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE; Plastic #2) and polypropylene (PP; Plastic #5), respectively. While both of these products are picked up by most curbside recycling programs, please contact your specific program for confirmation.